Chapter 14: Children on Different Developmental Paths

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Chapter 14 Children on Different Developmental
Paths

• Developmental and Learning Problems
• Kati Tumaneng (for Drs. Cook and Cook)

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Mental Retardation (MR)

• Three components
• Below-normal intellectual functioning (IQ lt 70 or
  75)
• Deficits in adaptive behavior
• Onset early in life (before age 18) (Hodapp
  Dykens, 1996)

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Mental Retardation (MR)

• 2-3 of US population has MR rates vary
  depending on criteria.
• Most severe forms associated with genetic
  disorders Down syndrome and fragile-X syndrome
  most common.
• Sometimes also associated with prenatal toxin
  exposure, prematurity, or birth complications.

Mental Retardation http//www.nichcy.org/pubs/fac
tshe/fs8txt.htm
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Mental Retardation

• After birth, many factors in environment can
  retard mental development.
• Cultural-familial retardation Retardation
  caused by lack of educational opportunity and
  stimulation.
• Approximately 85 of people with MR are in the
  mild category 1-2 in profound category (Mash
  Wolfe, 1999).

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Four Levels of Mental Retardation
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Mental Retardation

• Guidelines for improving quality of lives of
  children with MR
• Encourage exploration of environment
• Work on basic learning skills
• Celebrate developmental advances/accomplishments
• Help rehearse and extend new skills
• Protect from harm of disapproval, teasing, and
  punishment
• Rich responsive environment (Mash Wolfe, 1999
  Ramey Ramey, 1992)

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Communication and Learning Disorders

• Communication Disorders Conditions where
  children have significant difficulty producing
  speech sounds, using spoken language to
  communicate, or understanding what other people
  say (Mash Wolfe, 1999).
• Learning Disorders Conditions involving
  difficulties with specific skills such as
  reading, mathematics, or writing.
• Among adolescents with learning disorders, the
  high school drop out rate is about 40 (American
  Psychiatric Association, 1994).

Communication Disorders http//www.kidsource.com
/kidsource/content2/language_disorders.html
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Communication and Learning Disorders

• Too often go undiagnosed and untreated.
• Strongly genetic and related to abnormalities in
  how the brain functions.
• Many of these disorders correct themselves or
  children learn to compensate.
• Direct instruction and learning strategies,
  counseling and therapy, and increasing family
  support may all be useful.
• Usually do not significantly interfere with
  ability to lead normal life.

Learning Disorders http//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlin
eplus/learningdisorders.html
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Autism

• A serious developmental disorder characterized by
  impairments in social interaction and
  communication.
• Behavior often includes repetitive body motions
  or self-stimulation, along with inflexibility
  regarding daily routine.

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Autism

• Autistic children score low on IQ tests, but
  small percentage show splinter skills.
• Relatively rare (35 out of every 100,000) in US
  (Newsom, 1998).
• 4 times more common in boys.
• In recent years, the number of children has
  increased.
• Genetic component.
• Treatment outcomes vary depending on severity of
  disorder (Newsom, 1998) early intensive therapy
  helpful with mild/moderate levels.

Autism http//www.autism-society.org/site/PageSe
rver?pagenameautismcharacteristics
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• Picture on Slide 2 from Cook, J. L., Cook, G.
  (2005). Child development Principles and
  perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 568). Boston Allyn
  and Bacon.
• Table on Slide 5 from Cook, J. L., Cook, G.
  (2005). Child development Principles and
  perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 569). Boston Allyn
  and Bacon.
• Picture on Slide 9 from Cook, J. L., Cook, G.
  (2005). Child development Principles and
  perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 573). Boston Allyn
  and Bacon.
• All other images retrieved from Microsoft
  PowerPoint Clip Art.